Category Archives: Protection

Tell the EPA to clean up Ford’s mess in Ringwood

Journalist Jan Barry started the research on the tragic and intentional pollution of a housing development which was home to members of a tribe of Ramapough Indians in Ringwood, NJ, and collaborated with HBO to create Mann v. Ford, a moving documentary about the crushing impact this has had on the health of tribe members as well as the water source for the entire region. The site was prematurely de-listed by the EPA from its Superfund cleanup status, and several years later became the first site to be listed for a second time. Ford has resisted taking responsibility for the poisonous effects on tribe members of the toxic paint sludge it trucked in under cover of nightfall every day for many years, and has also resisted funding the cost of cleanup.

Make sure the EPA knows you support the clean-up of the Ramapough Indian’s by (Action 1) signing the Change.org petition and (Action 2) sending a letter to the EPA (download sample below).

Action 1

Sign the Change.org petition

The United States Environmental Protection Agency will soon decide how Ford Motor Company should clean up the 500-acre Ringwood (New Jersey) Superfund Site, where Ford Motor Company dumped tens of thousands of tons of paint sludge into old abandoned mine shafts, leaching landfills, the lawns of the Ramapough Mountain Indians, and the very trails of Ringwood State Park five decades ago.

All options are on the table – from doing absolutely nothing to controversially capping the sludge in place and leaving it there forever to completely removing all of the toxic waste. The people in Upper Ringwood are still suffering from devastating health impacts, staggering rates of premature deaths, rare cancers, and autoimmune diseases believed to be linked to the witches’ brew of toxins left in their homes, yards and community.

Astronomically high levels of lead and dioxin have been found in attics and yards, while the neighboring mines – including those in Ringwood State Park – sit just upstream from the drinking water source for one to two million people.

Action 2

Send a letter to the EPA! Be part of the EPA’s public comment process by customizing this sample letter and sending it to the EPA’s New York Office (the address is at the top of the letter). Just do it by the May 18 deadline! The original letter, with minor changes, was found on the Edison Wetlands Watch site but no author attribution appeared together with it, so I don’t know who to credit with its creation.

Resources
Mann v. Ford Facebook Page
Edison Wetlands Watch has good information too but it’s on a poorly coded web page which makes it very difficult to access.

Japan is going to poison the world

Excerpts from Barry Ritholtz article. It’s a good read with links to many reports and other articles.

Fukushima will start burning radioactive debris containing up to 100,000 becquerels of (highly) radioactive cesium per kilogram . . . even the Japanese – who have raised acceptable levels of radiation to absurd levels – would normally demand that material with this radioactivity be encased in cement and buried . . . many of the incinerators are located smack dab in the middle of crowded cities, and are not equipped to contain radiation.

(Nuclear expert Arnie) Gundersen says that radioactivity from the burnt debris will end up not only in neighboring prefectures, but in Hawaii, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington and California. Gundersen said that burning radioactive debris is basically re-creating the Fukushima disaster all over again, as it is releasing a huge amount of radioactivity which had settled on the ground back into the air.

It is bad enough that radiation from Fukushima is spreading across the Pacific to the United States through air and water, that the Japanese are underplaying the enormous threat posed by the spent fuel pools, and that the Japanese have engaged in a massive cover-up of the severity of the Fukushima crisis. But intentionally burning radioactive debris to try to cover up the problem – and spreading radiation worldwide in the process – is an entirely separate affront.

In addition to burning radioactive debris, Japan intends to build tents over the leaking Fukushima reactors. While this sounds like a way to contain the radiation, it would actually funnel it straight up and spread it globally . . .

Native tribes hold public Prayer For the Earth

Saturday, May 5, 2012
12:00pm
95 Halifax Rd. Mahwah, New Jersey 07430

Native Tribes & Local Communities BAND TOGETHER to Bridge Cultures
for the Preservation & Protection of our Water from Hydraulic Fracking

The Ramapough/Lunaape Nation is calling on all humans of good conscience to join a Prayer Rally/Vigil on our Ceremonial Land:

Why? This is the time, this is the hour to speak out for the protection of all US Watersheds that supply everyone with fresh drinking water, preserve Native traditions, and for the healing of Grand Mother Earth.

The Ramapough are expecting an array of communities, native peoples, environmental groups, representative of diverse cultural and spiritual traditions. Several of the guest speakers include:

-Professor Airy Dixon/Saponi
-Chief Vincent Mann/ Ramapough Nation
-Dean Hutchins Cherokee Nation
-Monica Evans/Haida Nation.

There will also be light entertainment. Please bring chairs and blankets. This event will close in Ceremony with a Prayer for Grand Mother Earth.

The Ramapough’s traditional land has met with imprudence from numerous outside groups, including Ford Motor Company – which used our land as a “toxic dumping ground”, and now gas/oil corporations want to endanger our vital watersheds by hydrofracking for export to foreign markets. To create this supply of fracked gas would involve blasting and clearing of public and private land, creating hazards for communities in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York regions which includes the beautiful Long Island Sound. Fracking fluid contaminates water sources, poisons ecosystems [animal & plant], and is currently suspect to have caused earthquakes in Ohio.

The Ramapough believe that callous disregard for humans and Grand Mother Earth cannot go unanswered. The Ramapough assert: it is the civic duty of all people of good conscience everywhere to ensure change be just, rather than a reinforcement of finance inequities that have so long divided us. To that end, we are asking everyone to join in making their voices heard on behalf of families, community, our watersheds, and Grand Mother Earth against this current atrocity.

Ramapough Lunaape Chief Perry(Kihkay Maqua) states:

“We have chosen to hold this event now because the hour is critical for America. The destructive extraction of gas/oil resources from our Grand Mother Earth is almost complete. We hope this event will result in “An Awakening, an Occupation of the Spirit”, whereby each and every human concerned with the Earth and Future Generations will stand together as “One Voice”, accumulating the collective strength of millions. Knowing we are not alone, that each action is not an isolated action but supported by millions who vote, sends an important message to our elected officials & the gas/oil corporations that our tax dollars can no longer be used to literally poison us. The potential increase to medicaid costs will skyrocket for these toxins will cause long term damage.

I ask in a good way, that each and everyone of you who hold a drop of knowledge to come forth now; share, teach, put down some medicine, send up some sounds, help in any way you can for our Grand Mother is in pain. Join those who have been speaking out and those who have been keeping us alive. Stand Up Now, help us to pray. Show us how to heal in a good way our Grand Mother Earth for she is crying out for our assistance. Remember who you are, Humans. Remember you are dependent on Grand Mother Earth to sustain your lives.”

The Ramapough have lived in this area for over 15,000 years, with unfortunately a long tragic history that drove a wedge between the Ramapough and the community at large; a gap we are seeking to bridge with this event. We are honoring our past and seeking to move forward as a strong coalition that will address issues common to all communities.

Rain Date: Sunday, May 6th, 2012

for more information contact: Charlene – charlene@ramapoughlenapenation.com
Jill – jillll@optimum.net
Jon – jonlrucker@gmail.com

I just can’t buy my sons poisonous cereal any more

Your lady friend made the big mistake of looking at the ingredients list of her son’s favorite cereals today and afterwards COULD NOT bring myself to purchase a single box. Corn syrup is one of the first/main ingredients listed and that stuff is DEATH. But oh boy, my sons love cereal.

I walked down the aisle muttering to myself about how bad corn syrup is for people, and then spotted some of that healthy-looking stuff right at the end of the aisle, marked half price! I checked the labels. Yep! Real sweeteners like honey, molasses, sugar and no corn syrup, so I bought 8 boxes. This stuff is going to be here a long time if my boys don’t like it.

High Fructose Corn Syrup Does Weird Stuff to Your Body
While the commercials claim that it’s fine in moderation, the truth is that the whole problem with high fructose corn syrup in the first place, is that moderation is seemingly impossible. The syrup interferes with the body’s metabolism so that a person can’t stop eating. It’s truly hard to control cravings because high fructose corn syrup slows down the secretion of leptin in the body. Leptin is a crucial hormone in the body that tells you that you’re full and to stop eating. That’s why it’s so closely associated with obesity in this country. It’s like an addictive drug.

http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/avoid-fructose-corn-syrup.htm

The Digestion of High Fructose Corn Syrup Is Hard On the Body
Acidic “foods”, which are void of nutrition, wreak havoc on the body. To compensate, the body will pull calcium and other minerals from our bones, teeth, and organs to keep our blood slightly alkaline. Enzymes must be produced to metabolize high fructose corn syrup and micro-nutrients must be utilized. High fructose corn syrup causes mineral imbalances and deficiencies, which can cause a host of other diseases and health problems.

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/issue-5/high-fructose-corn-syrup-not-so-sweet-surprise.php

Nature v. cookie money – lessons for Girl Scouts

A couple of Girl Scouts were looking for material about the cookies sold each year as this organization’s main fundraiser and discovered much more than they wanted to. Their findings have put Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen at the center of a national debate on what an acceptable tradeoff can be to monetize natural resources in order to make money from items that are not truly valuable in and of themselves, when the cost is environmental destruction and sometimes, lives. The young scouts found out that Girl Scout cookies are made with palm oil derived from trees grown in groves that Orangutan habitat is destroyed to make open space for. In simple terms, Orangutans die in large numbers due to loss of habitat in order for Girl Scouts to have cookies to sell.

For Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, it all began with orangutans. Four years ago-inspired by the work of primate researcher Jane Goodall-the two friends from Ann Arbor, Mich., collaborated on a research report on the endangered primates to help qualify for their Girl Scout Bronze award, one of the highest prizes offered by the 3.2 million-member organization. Vorva and Tomtishen have both been scouts since they were five years old, and they take their roles and responsibilities seriously. So when they discovered that one of the major threats to orangutan populations in Indonesia was deforestation caused by the growth of palm plantations-and that the iconic cookies the Girl Scouts sell can sometimes contain palm oil from plantations on deforested land-the girls refused to simply do nothing. “Being a Girl Scout is about showing stewardship for the land,” says Vorva, who is now 16. (Tomtishen is 15.) “We knew we had to keep fighting.”

Making Girl Scout Cookies Better for the Planet | Rainforest Action Network http://www.ran.org/making-girl-scout-cookies-better-planet#ixzz1ov7nzi8d

Unfortunately, the Girl Scout organization has not demanded major immediate changes to their cookie formula and seems content to go along with the plan offered by agribusiness giants like Cargill, which is talking about plans to offer sustainably produced palm oil several years from now – probably hoping that by then, there won’t be any Orangutans left to protect. Girl Scouts has taken this position:

In its announcement Wednesday, the Girl Scouts said it has directed its bakers to use as little palm oil as possible, and only in recipes where there is no alternative. It wants its bakers to move to a segregated, certified sustainable palm oil source by 2015.

The Scouts will buy GreenPalm certificates to support the sustainable production of palm oil. The certificates offer a premium price to palm oil producers who are operating within best-practices guidelines set by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, an organization of palm oil producers, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, environmentalists and others.
Girl Scouts of the USA will also become an affiliate member of the roundtable.

The teen activists and environmentalists welcomed the announcement as a good first step, but said much more needs to be done.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44718393/ns/world_news-world_environment/#.T11L7piId5b

Also see Girl Scouts Activists, Rainforest Action Network and Union of Concerned Scientists Respond to Palm Oil Cookie Announcement by Girl Scouts USA

Saddle River County Park watershed cleanup 3/24!

Water is one of our most valuable resources with less than 1% of the water supply on Earth used for drinking. This precious resource is being threatened, whether from fracking or pollution, but we can and must protect it. World Water Day is March 22nd: what better way to celebrate and help care for this precious resource than by a water way (watershed) clean up? Please join ours on Saturday, March 24. If you have gardening or work gloves please bring them and dress appropriately.

Saturday March 24th from 10am to 12pm
Saddle River County Park

Meet at Saddle River Road in Fairlawn Exit Off of Route 4 parking lot P on your Right
Here is a map to better understand: http://www.co.bergen.nj.us/bcparks/maps/FairlawnAreaMap.pdf
Everyone Welcome! Friends, family, neighbors spread the word to whoever wants to come out & make a difference!

Please RSVP to the clean up

Nicole Dallara, Outreach Coordinator, New Jersey Sierra Club
609-656-7612

Help protect national forests – sign petition

America’s national forests provide essential habitat for lynx, grizzlies and other wildlife — and clean water for millions of Americans. Yet new rules could threaten the sanctity of these special places, paving the way for more logging and more destructive development on our national forests. Help protect these special places. Sign the petition online at: http://dfnd.us/vYt93D

Take Back Port Newark forum

Take Back Port Newark
When: Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Where: Essex County College
Siegler Hall, Room 2132
303 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102

SPEAKERS:

  • Larry Hamm, Chairman of People’s Organization for Progress
  • Reverend Jethro James, Paradise Baptist Church
  • James Harris, President NJ NAACP
  • Kim Gaddy, Environmental Justice Organizer, NJ Environmental Federation
  • Henry Rose, Statewide Coordinator – NJ Environmental Justice Alliance

It’s time to take back the Port and make it work for Newark and its people!

The Two Faces of Port Newark

For corporations in the Tri-State Area, Port Newark means:

  • $50 billion dollars worth of imported goods per year!
  • “. . . the most important engine for economic growth in our state” (Gov. Christie)
  • Eating Very Well!!!

For Newark residents, Port Newark means:

  • Only $71 million dollars in rent piad for both the Port and Newark Airport
  • Budget woes that lead to cuts in residents’ services, and more pollution and ashtma in our communities.
  • Washing Dirty Dishes!

For more information contact:
Take Back Port Newark Coalition: 978-573-6013 or 201-878-8482

Need public support at hearing on waste treatment plant in Irvington

An ordinance sponsored by Freeholders Rufus Johnson and D. Bilal Beasley will be discussed to establish a solid waste treatment plant on Grove Street in Irvington (near Irvington Park) to dispose of solid infectious waste at a rate of 6-8 tons per day. Because this plant will bring dangerous waste and increased traffic that will affect Essex County residents generally, Irvington is asking county residents to support it in protesting the plant’s establishment.

The hazards to lives and the added toxicity in the environment caused by treatment plants is well documented. The increase in traffic traveling into and out of a neighborhood can all on its own, destroy a community’s peace and the safety of its children for generations to come, and degrade roadways throughout the region. It will certainly impact streets and lower property values in Irvington itself. We must come out to speak against this plan!

Please let your doctor, your nurse, your family, your neighbors, your teachers and your work colleagues know about this hearing and join us to show solidarity and concern. There is a promise of 50 constructions jobs and 50 on site jobs through this project, but that will not compensate for the permanent harm that area residents will suffer if the site for this plant is approved.

For more information contact the Irvington NAACP or call 973-373-6948.

Read how a New York State community is confronting a similar proposal.

Photo is the Irvington Track Team at a big win on 12 Feb 2012.

Obama Moves to Protect Americans From Toxic Air Pollution

Obama takes a big step to protect the health of American families and our environment: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first-ever national standards to reduce mercury and other toxic air emissions – like arsenic, acid gas, and cyanide – from power plants, which are the largest sources of this pollution in the United States.